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Remaining Accountable in the Midst of Holiday Cheer (And Stress)

Posted on 12/09/2013

It seems that every time December rolls around, someone hits the fast forward button on life. Suddenly, moving at ten times our normal capacity, everything requires our immediate attention: work is piling up, the kids are out of school and requiring extra time (which you obviously want to give), presents need to be wrapped, lights are waiting to be hung, oh and there’s a foot of snow between you and all of these said goals.

It’s important to remember to balance these aspects of your life—and, where your job is concerned, it’s important to remain in touch with clients. Despite all of the tempting distractions (food, friends, family, etc.) it’s vital that you stay a reliable contact for your clients.

Here’s how:

Set Reasonable Guidelines
Taking a week off to celebrate the winter holidays? Perfectly fine. Just be sure your clients are aware that you’ll be out of the office and out of contact.

On the other hand, abandoning them the whole month of December because you’re swamped with other things won’t go over well. We know you’ll be busy, but they’ll appreciate your timely responses and assistance with whatever they might need, since December is a busy time for everyone, your clients included.

Remember Important Things
The anniversary of your client engagement? Send them a note, thanking them for their year(s) of business. December or January birthdays? Wish them well with a handwritten note or small gift. Or consider a social media shout out—it’ll make them feel special, and bonus it shows potential clients how you care about your clients.

Don’t Send them Clutter
You may be tempted to up your mailings of newsletters or special holiday somethings. This may work. But be sure that you’re delivering valuable content—be it a holiday gift or a nice promotional discount. But double-check all of your content being sent out. What’s normally tolerated and welcomed at other points of the year may come off as “junk mail” during this hectic time.

Be Cheerful
According to Buddy the Elf, “the best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.” Now, we’re not saying you have to sing to your clients—in fact, please don’t. But we are advising you to remain cheerful during this potentially stressful month. Nothing frustrates clients more than snippy salespeople—they’ll feel as if you don’t have time for their problems, which may permanently strain your client relationship. If you’re talking to a client, put aside your holiday stresses, because they translate.